In the past, various and sundry methods and apparatus have been employed in the assembly of dynamoelectric machines. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,170 issued Dec. 31, 1974 to Jesse A. Stoner illustrates a method and apparatus for positioning components for the assembly together of such components. In this method and apparatus, a pair of opposite end frames, a rotor and a stator were aligned with respect to each other so as to compensate for any out-of-square opposite end faces of the stator, and a hardenable material was introduced between opposite end portions of a set of beams carried by the stator and the end frames so as to interconnect the dynamoelectric machine components in their aligned and assembled relation.
In another prior art method and apparatus for assembling the dynamoelectric machine illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,422 issued Jan. 5, 1965 to P. B. Shaffer et al, one opposite end shield of such dynamoelectric machine had a generally central bearing assembly associated therewith and was located in a preselected position on a seat provided on an assembly fixture of the assembly apparatus. When so located on the assembly fixture seat, four spaced apart generally peripheral welding flanges integrally formed with the one opposite end shield extended generally vertically upwardly therefrom. A rotor and shaft assembly included a pair of opposite oil slinger-thrust members secured to opposite ends of the shaft, respectively, and one end of the shaft was inserted through the bearing assembly of the one opposite end shield until the oil slinger-thrust member on such shaft end was seated in engagement with the bearing assembly of the one opposite end shield. A locating recess associated with the assembly fixture of the apparatus was provided to receive the one shaft end of the rotor and shaft assembly generally as it was inserted through the bearing assembly of the one opposite end shield. With the one shaft end so received in the locating recess of the apparatus, the rotor and shaft assembly was located in a preselected position extending generally perpendicularly with respect to the seat of the assembly fixture on which the one opposite end shield was located. After the rotor and shaft assembly and the one opposite end shield were so located in the preselected positions thereof with respect to each other, a shim set of the apparatus was extended through ventilation openings provided therefor in the one opposite end shield into positions about the periphery of the rotor. At this time, a bore of a stator for the dynamoelectric machine was also positioned about the rotor with the shim set in shimming engagement therebetween so as to provide a generally uniform air gap between the periphery of the rotor and the stator bore. As the stator was lowered into position about the rotor, the lower end face was engaged with a plurality of locating pins therefor predeterminately located on the apparatus with respect to the seat on the assembly fixture thereof, and in this manner, the lower end face of the stator was predeterminately located or vertically spaced from the one opposite end shield located on such seat. At the same time, four peripheral welding surfaces of the stator were arranged within the four welding flanges of the one opposite end shield at least closely adjacent thereto. With the stator for the dynamoelectric machine so located on the locating pins of the apparatus and also with respect to the rotor and the one opposite end shield, the bearing assembly of the other of the opposite end shield was passed about the other opposite end of the shaft and into seating engagement with the other of the oil slinger-thrust member secured to the other shaft end. Like the one opposite end shield, the other opposite end shield was also provided with four spaced apart, generally peripheral welding flanges integrally formed therewith and extending generally vertically therefrom. As the bearing assembly of the other opposite end shield was passed about the other shaft end, the four welding flanges on the other opposite end shield were arranged about the four welding surfaces of the stator at least closely adjacent thereto and generally in axially aligned and spaced apart relation with the four welding flanges of the one opposite end shield. Another or opposite upper assembly fixture of the apparatus was gripped in engagement with the other opposite end shield, and the upper assembly fixture was actuated to apply a force to insure the engagements of the bearing assemblies in the opposite end shields with the opposite oil slinger-thrust members on the opposite ends of the shaft, respectively, thus ensuring that no end play existed between the rotor and shaft assembly and the opposite end shields. Thereafter, the upper assembly fixture of the apparatus was actuated to raise the other opposite end shield a preselected distance, generally between about 0.040" and about 0.050", which concurrently raised or spaced the bearing assembly on the other opposite end shield from its engagement with the oil slinger-thrust member on the other shaft end thereby to insert a preselected amount of end play into the dynamoelectric machine between the rotor and shaft assembly and the opposite end shields thereof. With the upper assembly fixture of the apparatus maintaining the other opposite end shield in its raised position to insure the maintenance of the preselected end play for the dynamoelectric machine, four welding units of the apparatus were then moved into a position for concurrently welding the four welding flanges of the one opposite end shield to the four peripheral welding surfaces of the stator associated therewith. After effecting these welds, the four welding units of the apparatus were subsequently moved into another position for concurrently welding the four welding flanges of the other opposite end shield to the four peripheral welding surfaces of the stator also associated therewith. Subsequent to the welding of the opposite end shields to the stator to effect the final assembly of the dynamoelectric machine in the assembly apparatus, the dynamoelectric machine in its assembled state was removed therefrom.